Intercultural Communication Strategies

Intercultural communication refers to sharing information across various social groups and cultures, especially across people with varying educational, ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds (Ruttger, 2018). Today, in a world that is increasingly becoming smaller and interconnected, it is critical that staff members fully understand and apply intercultural communication strategies. Intercultural communication organizations gain a competitive edge over their rivals because they can employ workers from different backgrounds and diversify their operations across different cultures. Lacking cultural sensitivity can be detrimental to business operations because it can alienate and offend a certain section of the workforce or upset potential customers; all this can be costly to an organization.

Admittedly, being able to cut across cultures requires that organizations use specific intercultural communication strategies. Context, in particular, plays an integral role in putting meaning into communication (Ruttger, 2018). It tells people (both the receiver and the communicator) the specific details to place on something and the assumptions that should be drawn. Context helps the communicator connect well with the audience, listener, reader, or viewer. It aids in communicating the intended message, suggestion, or point of view in a clear and coherent manner.

For example, there is a need for an individual to understand the type of context to use, depending on the cultural background of the receiver, listener, viewer, or reader. It is paramount to distinguish between the high-context Japanese culture and the low-context American culture when dealing with a Japanese or American audience, respectively. Further, for Japanese, high context means that communication should heavily incorporate implicit, non-verbal communication rather than verbal. Traditions, contexts and deep interpersonal relationships are often used to interpret messages. On the contrary, according to Yang (2018), the low-context American culture tends to put messaging and communication emphasis on explicit words, with no traditions or personal relations linked to communication.

References

Ruttger, A. (2018). High- And Low-Context Communication In An Intercultural Environment: An Analysis Of The Cultural Differences Between Germany And China. GRIN Verlag.

Yang, X. (2016). The Influence Of High/Low Context Culture On The Choice Of Communication Media: Students’ Media Choice To Communicate With Professors In China And The United States. The University of Louisville. https://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3510&context=etd

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

The Difference between Saudi Arabia and America

Explain the importance of understanding intercultural communication. Identify the role that context plays in communication, and include references to high-context and low-context cultures.

Intercultural Communication Strategies

Topic: The differences between Saudi Arabia and America